Where the Storm Lulls
by ThatOneChick'98
Summary: Eadlyn has to deal with what seems to be too much: the fallback from Ahren eloping, her mother's heart attack, mile high stacks of work, and her Selection. Kile tries to help her as much as he can, but they will find out that not everything can be fixed with a Royal command. The tensions in the South are rising like waves and it threatens to drown the whole family, including Eadlyn
1. Chapter 1

When the Storm Lulls

1

Kile didn't know _what_ he was expecting, he just knew _who_. He was expecting guards, the ones that said, "No, boy, you can't come up here.", but he never got them, which surprised him. He was expecting politicians, the ones Eadlyn always complained about, the ones that complained about her keeping them from her dad, the ones that weren't there.

Instead, Kile had quietly skipped up to the third floor of the palace, the way he had before the Selection, and tapped the door to King Maxon's study to make the door swing open. Inside there was a dry erase board, filled with Eadlyn's scribbles and notes by a large desk, which had multiple stacks of paper place haphazardly upon it. So this was the place Eadlyn disappeared to during the day?

Eadlyn was on the phone, a small frown on her face as she listened to a man talk rapidly in Spanish on the other line. They conversed, or rather, heatedly argued, in Spanish for a few minutes while Kile watched her work.

There was a theory in psychology named flow, and it said that a person could become so immersed in their work that they were not conscious of themselves or time, besides in sleep, it was the only time you could escape those two things.

Looking at Eadlyn now, Kile had to recognize flow at work, the theory enveloping the woman, or rather, girl, making her incapable of being able to take care of herself, to make sure she got enough sleep, enough food, enough clean air. Eadlyn, Kile realized, needed someone to take care of her, or else the princess would slowly deteriorate into a shadow of herself, driven mad by her job and a psychology theory. Thinking back to the hordes of boys, all dying for Eadlyn's attention, not her heart, Kile felt an uneasy feeling grow in his stomach.

He stayed quiet until Eadlyn slammed the receiver down before saying, "You know –"Eadlyn jumped, having to pull herself out of her reverie, "– Most people think sleep is good for you, but, honestly, I disagree," he flopped down onto one of the rarely used couches in the room, "You see, it takes a certain madness to live, a certain, how should I put this…insanity that comes with ruling a country. Some people would say it's stupid to make sleep deprived decisions that could possibly lead to the deaths of millions, but you have to be the right amount of psychotic to make those decisions. Obviously, you agree with me."

Eadlyn's lips quirked, as the two fell into familiar patterns of banter and annoyance, "It would be an injustice to do them otherwise."

"Absolutely!" Kile said, pointing his finger to the ceiling, "THOSE WHO NEED SLEEP SHALL FEEL MY WRATH!"

Eadlyn was now smiling, "What can I do for you, Kile?"

"No, no, no," Kile said, sitting up. He had started this game and he was going to finish it, "What can I do for you? 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country'. And today, what I can do for my country is chain you to a bed."

"I don't need to be chained to a bed," Eadlyn said, shaking her head. She would most definitely not yawn at thinking about a bed. Most definitely not.

Kile watched her sad attempt to find the beginnings a yawn and sat up, "Yeah, sure. How many cups of coffee have you had today?"

Eadlyn thought back through the past – how many hours? "Um…four."

Kile stared at her.

"Okay, maybe five."

Still staring.

"Okay, seven."

…Still. Staring.

"Fine, eight! One for each hour of sleep you're supposed to get."

"That is not how it works."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do? I want Dad to stay with Mom so I can't slack off with all of this stuff," she picked up a piece of paper just as filled with scribbles as the dry erase board, Kile realized it was a to do list. A really long one. "And I can't slack off with the Selection, otherwise the press would have a field day."

Kile blinked at her, "They always have a field day."

Eadlyn slumped in her seat, "Yeah, I know."

Kile swiped his hand through his hair, "Look, I get it. Your mom had open heart surgery so you picked up some of your father's slack so that he could stay with her while she recovered, but the fact that your mother had a heart attack that was caused by a _genetic_ heart disease induced by _stress_ should be proof enough that you should not go too long without sleep."

"I know, I know, but –"

"We're going on a date," Kile said suddenly, getting up from the chair.

"Okay, first of all, interrupting is entirely rude. Second of all, _you_ asking _me_ out is completely illegal."

"Oh my gosh, I'm such a wild child. Come on." He lifted her out of her chair, and pushed her towards the door.

Eadlyn tried to go back, but he pushed her on. After a while, she ceded, "Where are we going?"

"To your bed."

Eadlyn redoubled her efforts to go back, almost knocking her tiara off her head, and Kile realized he should probably explain, "Whoa, girl. You haven't figured out my middle name yet. We're going to sleep, and since I can't trust you to do that alone, I'm just going to have to sit and make sure you do it."

Kile decided he liked Eadlyn when she was sleepy. The moment she had entered her room, she had let him take out her many pins and had let him help her out of her dress and into a sleep gown (he tried not to look at her, but only got so far when she was standing right in front of him in nothing but a bra and panties) (she may or may not have let him look).

More than her letting him care for her, she seemed to let her guard down as he did.

"Do you think what happened to my mom cold happen to me?"

He looked at her as he helped her into the sleep gown, his hands just barely skimming her sides, "I don't know. Let's not find out."

"It's my fault, you know." He stared at her for a second as she stared toward the balcony. Dusk was just beginning to fall and the sunset was beautiful, neither of them really took it in. "Ahren left because of me, Mom had the heart attack because he left." She looked up at him, "I could have killed my mother. I almost did."

"You couldn't have known Ahren was going to do that. You didn't cause the heart condition to act up. It just did."

Eadlyn lightly hummed, and he dragged her towards the bed, "Come on."

She sat down on the bed, looking at him, then she smiled softly, "Do you want to kiss me, Kile? You can if you want."

He did, but instead of her lips, he kissed her forehead, "Go to bed, Eady."

"Eady. I miss that nickname. It sounds so simple, but nothing really ever is."

"Are you always like this when you're tired?"

Eadlyn hummed in answer, and Kile smiled.

The princess crawled to the middle of the bed and laid down, "Will you sleep next to me?"

He had been hoping she would ask that so he wouldn't have to sleep on the couch, "Sure." He nodded, taking off her shoes and coming towards her, finally pulling her to him so she could put her head on his shoulder, "Best date ever."

Kile responded by taking a lock of her hair and playing with it, and he couldn't agree more.


	2. Chapter 2

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 2

"Which one would you like, sir?" the stern butler said to Kile.

He looked at the many ties before him, seeking out the one that would best serve his purposes. He grinned when he saw the one that he wanted and took it. He tied it around his neck in a hard-to-get-off knot and smiled at the butler, "How do I look, Jensen?"

The butler scrunched up his nose at the smiling boy, "Sufficiently out of fashion, sir."

"Good."

Then, Kile left, waving to the many guards that stopped to take a double take of him, "How are you?" Kile would call to them, and they would just smile at him and shake their heads. They knew the game he was playing.

Kile had always had a bad sense of style, so when _he_ thought the tie was significantly hideous, he knew it was true. It would certainly be enough to attract Eadlyn's attention, and he knew it.

Yes, he decided, he knew how to play this game very, very well.

He had known Eadlyn since she was a baby, he even had a flicker of memory of her when she was about three running around the palace with a nurse trying to catch her. If Kile was correct, the fashion forward princess didn't have any clothes on at the time. So he knew how she would react to this.

He entered the dining hall, quickly catching everyone's eye: the tie was extremely bright colored, it would make sense that everyone saw it. Eadlyn's reaction caught his eye and Kile couldn't help but smile. Eadlyn was good at hiding her emotions but her disapproval and disgust for the tie could easily be seen by someone who knew her, and, next to Ahren, Kile was the one who knew her the best. So, even though her face was devoid of emotion, Kile saw the spark of annoyance in her eyes.

But he knew she wouldn't approach him in front of the cameras, so when he heard the clap of heels behind him when everyone left breakfast, he just turned around and waited for her to get to him.

The dress she had on swept behind her dramatically, and Kile used his architect's eye to see why. He had already begun to be able to see how dresses worked the way they did through what Eadlyn had taught him when they were snuggled up with her designs and he easily adapted his eye that he had developed for architecture to be able to see how the dresses were made. For this dress, he could easily see Eadlyn's signature in it, the dramatic, but productive V of the neckline and the dark, yet feminine color of the dress screamed Eadlyn's style, but what held his attention the most (to be honest, what held his attention the most was what the neckline teased, but what he would SAY held his attention) was the hemline. It started out mid-thigh in the front, but dramatically swept down to be floor-length in the back. It was…Eadlyn, and, next to her, he looked like a train wreck.

She bounced in front of him, immediately tugging on the tie, "You can NOT wear this tie. If burning the other one would solve world peace, this one would solve world hunger."

"I like the multicolored polka dots," he said, as the princess tugged mercilessly at his tie, "Own, Eady. Try not to kill me, would you?"

At the sound of her nickname, she stopped and looked at him. Suddenly, she was tugging him towards a supply closet and pulling him in by the tie-turned-leash. Before he knew it, her lips were on his and he was backed up against the shelves.

"What did I do?" Kile asked, not that he minded having Eadlyn kiss him (to be honest, he would NEVER mind Eadlyn kissing him. Not that he would ever tell her that.).

In reply, Eadlyn made a noise in the back of her throat, not really wanting to let go of his lips to tell him.

Kile put his hands on her upper arms (why was her skin always so soft?) and gently pushed her away, not far enough to where she thought he was rejecting her, but far enough that he could talk to her, "Is it because I called you Eady?"

She searched his eyes for something, and Kile was startled to find that her eyes were…unguarded. Totally and completely unguarded, "Maybe," she said.

Kile raised his eyebrows at her, "The nickname your twin brother calls you is what got you to kiss me? Do you kiss Ahren like that?"

"Ew, Kile."

He threw his hands in surrender, and she shook her head at him, softly smiling, "You say it…differently. When Ahren said it," she shrugged, "It was just a term of endearment, but when you do…"

She wouldn't say it, her pride and arrogance wouldn't let her tell him why the name was so powerful against her, because it was just that: powerful against her. That was when Kile knew Eadlyn didn't trust him. She wouldn't tell him something that had power over her because she was afraid he would use it against him. She didn't trust him not to use it the wrong way, to use it against her and take away her power, her throne, and her independence.

But he wanted her to.

For some reason, in every fiber of his being, he WANTED her to trust him. HE wanted her to be able to depend on him to lift her up when she's down, catch her when she falls, carry her to her bed when she's tired, protect her when she needs protecting, to step back or forward whenever she needs him or doesn't, to be there for her when no one was, to stand up for her when no one else would, or to just simply be there for her so that when she reached her hand back, seeking some encouragement, his hand would always be RIGHT THERE.

Kile wouldn't call it love (or maybe he just didn't WANT to, but he wasn't going to think of that), but maybe…tenderness? Friendship? He wanted to take care of her, and…she didn't have anyone else that would.

Even when Ahren was here Kile didn't think he took care of Eadlyn like she needed him to, and if no one else was going to do it, Kile was.

He pulled her closer to him, enveloping her small frame in his large arms, leaning over her to fully encase her in him, hoping to make her feel safe. He dipped his head onto her shoulder as she made a small noise that sounded like a sigh. Kile wondered if she had made the sound consciously or not, but decided it didn't matter, going back to his original plan.

When he started whispering the nickname into the smooth skin on her shoulder, her head fell back and leaned towards him, resting her head against his to hear better. The soft sigh came again and Kile knew that it was subconscious, Eadlyn wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

It wasn't the best plan, but the name seemed to calm her, and the fact that he hadn't pressed her for answers about why it was different when he said it would, hopefully, help her to trust him more.

He thought about telling her not to worry about the talk with his mom, but he thought that would be too much for her, and…baby steps. So instead, he said, "About the tie…"

Eadlyn made a noise in the back of her throat, acknowledging that she remembered what he was talking about (to be honest, Kile wasn't sure if she did. He wasn't even sure if he did).

"You can have this one too." He made no moves to take it off though, knowing that then he would have to remove his arms from him. She seemed to know that because her arms went between them to work out the knot, even when she couldn't see "I can always get a new polka dot one, and we can't have people going hungry, can we?"

Later that night, Kile found his tie drawer open and empty with a box on top of the dresser. He opened it up to find a note on top of them that was clearly left by Eadlyn.

 _Kile Something Woodwork,_

 _Here are the ONLY polka dot ties you can EVER wear. Notice that none of them have neon colors. By the way, I also took that God-forsaken camo jacket in the back of your closet. Under no circumstances will I allow you to wear a CAMO SUIT._

 _Eady._

"Jensen?" Kile asked.

The butler appeared at his side, "Sir?"

"How fast can you get me a camo tie?"


	3. Chapter 3

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 3

Kile didn't mean to. He had just stumbled upon the conversation Eadlyn was having with her parents. He had just been going to see Queen America, but had accidently overheard their conversation and the blunt, emotionless way that Eadlyn had talked about the Selection.

"I told you three months. That's how long I would give you to figure this out, but I can't pull this 'Selection Play' for forever."

"We're not asking you to do that," her mother said weakly.

"We're just saying we'll need more time to solve this?"

"Solve this? Solve _me?_ " Eadlyn asked hysterically.

"No, honey," Queen America looked like she wanted to pull her daughter in for a hug, but any movement pulled on her stitches, "Just how the people perceive you."

"They want to perceive me as weak."

"Not weak, in love."

"And what if I can't do that?"

Her parents shifted. Obviously the thought that Eadlyn wouldn't find love through the Selection hadn't been thought of. At least, not by them.

Eadlyn looked at her lap, "I'll try to be…more human, but I can't promise you love."

"We would never expect you to."

Then, Eadlyn left, bumping into Kile as she left, "KIle! Um—how much did you just hear?"

Kile looked at his hands, "Enough. Can I talk to you? Someplace other than in the middle of the hallway?"

"Um…Sure. Come to my room."

They took the quick trip to her room quietly, anxiety radiating off of Eadlyn in waves. Kile slammed the door to her room closed, "Spill."

Eadlyn turned towards him quickly, blurting out, "I didn't want to do the Selection."

"So you let your parents trap you into something you didn't want to do?"

"Oh, God. No. Originally, I had a plan to get me out of the Selection without a husband, but…people are close to rebelling."

"I know that."

"No, you don't. We're keeping away how bad it is to the public, but…it could bring a civil war much worse than the one in America."

Kile stared at her, surprised.

Nervous, Eadlyn continued, "That's why I have to choose a husband. Because my parents and I need to solve this and…"

"What does a civil war have to do with your Selection?"

Eadlyn was quiet for a second before telling him, "The reason there is a civil war is because people don't necessarily like me."

"What do you mean?"

"They don't think I'm very…human. They think I'm more mechanic and unable to feel emotions.

"The Selection was supposed to be a guise. I made a promise to my father that I would do it, only if I could send everyone home if I didn't feel anything for them, but with all this…anti-Eadlyn propaganda going around…I have to. Even if it means marrying someone I don't love."

"That was why you needed the kiss."

"Yes."

Kile was quiet for a second, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Eadlyn was startled, "In case you've forgotten, we don't like each other."

"I can help you, Eadlyn. Like I did with the kiss. I can help you change the way they think of you."

"How?" Eadlyn asked, "Please. My parents and I have been ceaselessly trying to figure this out, so, please, tell me what the magical Kile Woodwork can cook up in a minute!"

"Don't yell at me, Eadlyn! I'm not the one about to cause a civil war!"

That quieted her and Kile thought.

"Okay…Perception is easy to change if you get closer or farther away from the thing you are perceiving."

"Kile, what are you saying?"

"Just, just trust me, okay?" Then Kile ran out of the room and toward the Men's Parlor.

When Kile brought out the video camera to his date, Eadlyn had already forgotten about the weird conversation she had with Kile earlier that week.

"Kile, what are you doing?" she asked, smiling uneasily at him through the camera.

"Nothing, keep talking about the dresses."

So, she did, soon forgetting about the camera he held.

They sat talking about dresses and buildings until Eadlyn could no longer keep her eyes open and fell asleep in Kile's arms. He made sure to get a shot of her peaceful face.

Over the next week, the Selected handed him camera after camera and he worked, piecing together what they needed, getting rid of what they didn't. He hadn't paid close attention to the conversations that she had with the boys, only listening when he saw that glimmer in her eyes when she cracked a joke; he put a couple of those in the video.

Then, it was time for the unveiling and Kile gave the video to Gavril.

The next _Report_ , Kile was sitting with Gavril in front of the cameras (by that time, being in front of them and not behind was weird), and the elderly man was asking him, "Kile, what have you been doing this last week?"

"Well, Gavril, the Selected and I had an astounding revelation earlier this week."

"And what was that?"

"Well, we suddenly realized that the people don't get to see Eadlyn the way that we do."

"How so?"

"You all see the put together, well-mannered princess, but there's a girl under that that no one gets the privilege to see except a select few, or should I say the Selected few?"

Gavril laughed and Kile carried on, "When we realized that you all didn't see the girl that we saw, we sought to change that. So, this week I have been buried knee deep in footage taken by the Selected themselves. Now, we didn't tell Eadlyn what we were doing, so all of this is just purely candid. I bet she had her theories, but—"Kile looked at Eadlyn, "Come on, be honest. Did you think this was what we were doing with it?"

Eadlyn shook her head and smiled uneasily, she had no idea what was going on, and Kile knew she didn't like it.

"So, see? This is all purely candid."

"Alright! Let's see it!"

And they rolled the video.

First, it showed the Selected, each sitting by themselves in front of the camera. They started showing tiny clips of each of the boys, all saying something different.

"What I like the most about Eadlyn?" Hale asked.

"Oh gosh, where to begin," Ean said.

Henri said something to Eric and Eric turned to the camera and smiled, "We don't pick favorites."

"If I had to choose…" Fox looked thoughtful, "That look in her eye right before she cracks a joke."

The camera flipped to show Eadlyn looking at one of the Selected through the camera as the boy said, "I mean, what you do when you get done with the paperwork."

"I go make people pee their pants," she said smiling jokingly, that glimmer in her eye.

"Seriously?" the boy asked, and she laughed.

The camera flipped back to the Selected.

"I think…oh gosh, probably when she gets really passionate about something and her face gets all red. You can't help but feel passionate about the topic with her, and that's astounding that she has that ability and she isn't even trying."

Leeland looked nervously at the camera, "Um…probably her smile. It's rare, but when you get it, you know you've got something precious right in front of you."

"That voice she gets. You know. THE voice."

"How, when she runs down the hallway, her hair kind of flows behind her like a cape."

Henri listed things in Finnish, counting them out on his fingers.

"How she won't hear what you're saying when she's working, she's just totally focused."

The camera cut footage of Kile calling Eadlyn's name while she worked. The princess never looked up.

"That look on her face when she's thinking through things."

Henri was still listing things.

"Probably the way she gets when she's mad at a politician and how she so calmly puts him in his place. I find it really funny."

Eric looked at the camera, "Hopefully you got all that, because I didn't."

The camera turned off for a second, the screen displaying different colors, before Eadlyn appeared, cross legged in her bed, wearing an old sweatshirt and pajama shorts, her hair falling around her as she looked at buildings.

"I'm pretty sure that's my sweatshirt." Kile's voice rang out.

"Yep."

There was a pause, before Kile, sounding incredulous said, _"How?"_

Eadlyn just smiled and it went to another scene of her twirling through the hallways in a flowy dress, singing a song that was in a popular kids' movie.

The next one: Eadlyn laughed at the camera.

The fourth: She stood behind a politician as the man talked to one of the Selected. The mannerly princess kept distracting the poor boy with silly faces. When the man left, the boy said, "Why'd you do that?"

"Because I was bored, and so were you."

The fifth scene showed Eadlyn back in her bed with Kile. Kile had stretched out, leaning his head on the backboard and looking at the girl sitting in the middle of the bed. Eadlyn looked up at him, "Kile, I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep," the boy said simply and the princess nodded before climbing into his lap and resting her head on his chest. "Are you quite comfortable?" Kile laughed.

Eadlyn looked up at him, not raising her head, put a finger on his lips, "Shush! Sleep time."

The scene shifted and showed Eadlyn butchering Finnish. Henri gave her the thumbs up and Eadlyn looked at Eric, "Was that even close?"

"No." the translator said simply.

They showed similar small clips from others, but it was then that Kile looked up at Eadlyn and saw her looking…surprised, shocked even, that anyone would ever praise her like this, ever look at her like this. It was then that Kile saw that Eadlyn knew she was beautiful on the outside, but never on the inside.

Maybe the reason she didn't want to love them was because she didn't think anyone could ever love her.

That observation filled Kile with an emotion that could only be described as deep disappointment. Not for her, but for everyone besides her that never told her she was more valuable than the crown on her head. The disappointment was in himself for not doing enough for her, not…liking (if he was being honest, loving) her enough. Not making her see that people could love her more than just her crown.

That was it! That was why Eadlyn liked the nickname Eady. It was just her, not the princess. It separated the girl from the crown and showed her that they didn't have to be intertwined. They didn't always have to be the same person. 'So simple' Eadlyn had called it. Because it was simple. Separating Princess and Eadlyn allowed for to be herself. Eadlyn was in love with the idea of being herself, and being able to do that in front of someone.

He vowed then and there that by the time he left the Selection, she would know just how amazing Eady, not Princess Eadlyn, was and that she could be Eady with whomever she chose.


	4. Chapter 4

Where the Storm Lulls Ch 4

The day after the _Report_ , Kile found Eadlyn leaning on his door jamb in jeans, heels, and a fancy, light blue blazer (that is what it's called, right? Kile didn't really know). One thing he did know was that the shirt she wore under the blazer teased and her hair was down, with navy blue, big framed glasses. Kile could tell she was in work mode, but her posture said otherwise. She looked comfortable, perfectly at home (maybe she was. She was the one that belonged in the palace, not Kile).

She smiled at him softly, "How'd you know to do that?"

He shrugged, "To change people's opinion you just have to offer a new perspective, and you have about twenty boys that think the world of you."

She put her glasses on the top of her head and neared him, "I didn't even think of that." Her arms wrapped around his waist, "Is there any way I could…repay you?"

She looked at him through her eyelashes, and Kile smirked at her. He leaned down, brushing his lips on hers, just barely before she was pressed up against the wall, her hands in his hair and his wrapped around her waist.

Kile didn't know how long they stayed there, but after a while her glasses fell off of her head, landing on the hardwood floor with a large crash. They stopped and Eadlyn giggled, but neither of them moved to retrieve the fallen spectacles.

"You don't have to repay me for anything. I already told you: I'm here. I'm here to help you and make sure you get enough sleep and make your job as stress free as ruling a country can possibly be. Eady, I'm here for you."

For a second, Kile thought Eadlyn might cry, and he wondered if anyone had ever told her that. That question was one he couldn't think of for very long, and he pushed it out of his head, focusing on the girl in front of him.

Crying relieved stress, and for someone who didn't get to show emotion a lot, a good cry was probably long overdue. The outward expression of what she was feeling would not only help her heal, but show her that she had wounds to heal in the first place. It would open her up, and reveal her, Eady, the real Eady, and Kile, for his own selfish reasons (he refused to acknowledge that those reasons were tied to his evergrowing affection for the princess), wanted to see the girl behind the thick walls.

"Eady," he whispered in her ear. He kissed every square inch of her face that he could, all while pulling her away from the closed door and towards the bed. She only made it halfway there before dissolving into fitful sobs, cracking her cool outershell.

Kile pulled her onto the bed with him and into his arms. She buried her head in his chest as he smoothed her hair.

He let her cry in silence, the only sound being her loud sobs and the words that she tried to get out, "Sorry…hard…boys…I can't…Queen…shitty politicians…sexist press…why…bride."

She was an endless mess of unclear sentences and tears and sobs and shivers and Kile thought that she had never looked more beautiful.

When she was in between crying and sleeping, Kile simply said, "It will be okay. It's not yet, and it may take a long time to stop, but every storm does."

She buried her face deeper into his chest (which Kile swore she fell asleep on more than her pillow). Kile looked down at her slightly puffy, red face and knew he was screwed. Somewhere along the line he had fallen for Eadlyn, past hatred, past lust, past brotherly affection, and now…he couldn't look at her without mimicking the look his father had on his face when he looked at his mother. The thought should have scared him, should have filled him with a violent fear that could not go unnoticed, but he felt oddly…content, as if, maybe, being in love with Eadlyn was okay.

But, he was still screwed. That much he knew for sure.

"Queen America?" Kile asked. He had meant to try to visit her, but after overhearing about the Selection the last time he was here…he had been hesitant. He hadn't wanted another bombshell. But, in this case, he had already gotten one.

His mother's best friend looked up at him, and smiled, "Kile! How are you?"

He smiled. There was always something calming about Queen America. He felt like she understood everyone, was able to see into their very being and pick out the best in them, drawing them to her with an energy that couldn't help but attract others. Kile was almost certain that the reason his mother let him leave the palace had something to do with Queen America talking to her, convincing her to let him go, let him leave.

"I'm…okay."

"You don't look okay. Come. Sit." She smiled at him as she pushed herself into the best sitting position she could, propped up against pillows.

She sat there, studying him with eyes that scraped at his soul, "I know that look."

"I don't know what to do."

"But, you do. Don't you?"

Kile's mouth opened and closed, "I don't know."

"We need a plan then, don't we?"

"We?"

"Yes. You and me. Let's see…Well, you obviously can't just come out and tell her."

"Yeah, that would not be good."

"Yes, but you can tell her in other ways."

"Like what?"

She smiled at him, "I think we both know that my daughter is very good at reading subtle signs. It's a necessity that she needs to have for her job, trust me. So give her subtle signs."

Kile made a noise of confusion and Queen America looked at him seriously, "Like…maybe calling her Eady?"

Surprised, Kile blurted, "How do you know about that?"

"A little bird told me."

"Eadlyn?"

"No! She wouldn't tell me something like that. That would be something so precious that she kept to herself, but…walls are not always soundproof, dear."

"Oh. Um…Did your little bird tell you what happened before that?"

"No. And there are some things a mother doesn't want to know about her daughter so don't go any further."

"Yes, ma'am."

"The thing is: just calling her Eady is not going to get her to love you back." Kile felt weird about Eadlyn's mother throwing around a term to describe how he felt so easily when he himself was just getting used to the idea. "And that's not going to come easily. Not because of you, dear, just…Eadlyn is…Eadlyn."

"Eadlyn is Eady."

"She is both, dear." Something grated against Kile as Queen America stared at him, "You can't have the princess without the girl, and the crown will always be a part of the package. She is both Princess Eadlyn and Eady. You'll need to figure out if you're prepared to get a country with a bride."

Kile nodded. He already knew this, of course, but Queen America seemed to be the best at picking at him, making him uncomfortable with what he thought of…his predicament. It was then that he realized the older women in front of him knew a lot more about his own situation than he did.

Because she had been in his position before.

The revelation ripped through him, causing him to look suddenly up at the wise women in front of him, the one that smiled at him, reading what he was thinking, "Oh, the stories I could tell."

Then, she looked down, thinking, "You need to get her familiar with the idea of you being around, more familiar than she is with the others."

"How am I supposed to do that? I can't ask her for a date."

"You don't have to ask her for accidental run-ins."

"So…you want to use the mere exposure effect?"

The queen smiled, "Yes, but that's only one part of it."

"What else?"

"You need to get her to open up to you, trust you, and come to you with everything. I don't know how you'd do it, but I suspect you do."

"I do." Kile looked at his watch, "I have to get back to Eadlyn."

Queen America nodded at him, smiling.

With that, Kile bowed and left the queen to go back to resting.

"Where'd you go?" Eadlyn asked when she felt the bed shift under her. Kile slid under the covers and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I got you some new clothes so you didn't have to wear wrinkled ones through the hallways. I felt like that might have been bad."

He reached into his pocket, "I also brought this," he said, showing her the small makeup container, "I don't know why. I thought it might hide the tear tracks."

She took it from him, smiling a little, "Well, it was a good thought, but this is eye shadow."

Kile looked up at the ceiling, "In hindsight, the different colors should have tipped me off."

Eadlyn roared with laughter before throwing her leg over his hips and straddling him, attacking him with kisses. His hands immediately flew to her hips as hers stayed firmly planted on his chest.

It wasn't until Eadlyn was planting openmouthed kisses on his neck that he was able to make a thought go through his head, "Wait. You don't know my middle name."

Eadlyn groaned, sitting back (still on him, which Kile was kind of pleased about, but he wouldn't tell her that). She took his hands, interlacing his fingers with her own before thinking, "Aaron?" Kile shook his head. "Abe. Abel. Abraham. Abram. Ace."

"Is that even a name?"

"What? Ace? Of course it is. Adrain. Alen. Albert."

"Are you just going in alphabetical order?"

"Yes, hush. Alec. Alejandro."

"Yes. I am definitely Alejandro."

"Don't make fun of me," Eadlyn said.

"I'm not. Alejandro is a sexy name."

Eadlyn leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips. Kile didn't know why, but he most definitely wasn't going to complain.

Then, she continued with her little name game, and Kile laughed, shaking his head at each one.

"Face it. You'll never guess it."

Eadlyn glared down at him, but only received a laugh from the boy underneath her. It was hard to look intimidating with messy bedhead and wrinkled clothes, "Okay, whatever, loser. I have a meeting at six that I have to get ready for and, you know, eyeshadow to cover up the tear tracks."

She left him, the only evidence of her being there was the smiling boy, the messy bed, and the long forgotten, navy, big-framed glasses by the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 5

"Eadlyn? What are you doing?"

Kile looked down at the princess, sitting against the hallway door in a ballgown. Her hair had fallen out of the braided bun, streaming down her shoulders as she twirled a piece of it between her fingers. The purple heels had been long since forgotten by the barefoot woman (girl, to be honest, Kile kept forgetting Eady was only eighteen) (Kile thinks it's her eyes that make him think she's older. The tired look in them right now reminded him of the same expression in King Maxon's [that was a scary thought to have]).

"I'm accepting defeat," she said.

"Well, that doesn't sound like you," Kile said, sitting down next to her.

"It looks like I'm going to have to. All I wanted was one measly bill to get passed so we could help the Southerners with their housing problems, but the advisers didn't like that idea. 'It's not the government's job to interfere with those type of matters!', can you believe they said that to me? It is apparently not my job to make sure everyone has the necessities they need to survive," Eadlyn scoffed, "I had to tell them that it would help with the riots down there for them to even look at the bill."

"And?"

"And, they said it wasn't possible. That we didn't have the money. But we have plenty of money in our surplus now that the war is done."

"So…what's the real reason?" Kile asked, knowing she already knew. She already knew a lot of things.

Eadlyn sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "One of the older advisers, Mr. Oldham, came to see me the other day. He was around in my dad's Selection and wanted to stop by and talk. He's exceptionally nice, so I always like when he comes to visit, and he told me a story, like he always does. He said, 'One time, during your father's Selection, he marched straight into the budgeting meeting and said that we were goind to feed the Eights.' He said it was the quickest a bill has ever gotten passed in all of Illea's history." Eadlyn stared at the wall for a second, "I can't count how many times I've tried to do that."

"I'm confused. What does this have to do with the bill?"

Eadlyn studied him, "There's only one difference between what Dad did and what I did. We both have the same manners, the same walk, and the same last name. The only difference is that he is a boy and I am a girl."

Kile looked uncertain, "That can't be it…It has to be something else…"

Eadlyn shook her head, lifting up her knees and hugging them. She buried her head into them and whispered, "People are going to die because I am a girl."

Kile stayed quiet as she continued, "I have so much power, and the public expects me to use it. To deal with this and that, but then when I try my _gender_ gets in the way. My GENDER. One time, I tried to pass an equality act and the advisors looked at me like I was stupid. 'You can't pass that act. You're a girl!' Every act or bill or law that I come up with gets signed by some other politician. Why? If a female name is on it people think it's okay to overlook it. People call me snobbish and arrogant, and maybe I am, but if I was a male no one would ever think that. 'Oh, he's so determined to get that bill through', 'Oh, look! He really believes in what he's doing', 'Good for him! He didn't give up!'. You know what I get? 'Why are you so stubborn?', 'Why do you keep going on about this', 'Eadlyn, just shut up.'"

Kile pulled her into a hug, "I'm sorry. I'd change it if I could."

Eadlyn shook her head, "Let's face it. There are some things even a Schreave can't do."

It was all over the papers.

"EXTREME PREJUDICE IN THE PALACE!"

"IS WHAT PRINCESS EADLYN SAYS TRUE?"

"ADVISORS SHOOT DOWN EADLYN'S BILL!"

"RIOTERS IN THE SOUTH, THE REAL ENEMY IS SEXISM!"

A camera crew had overheard the conversation between Kile and Eadlyn and had filmed the whole thing. They had immediately put it on the air and now the whole country knew about 'the sexist scandal of the century'.

The worst part: Eadlyn didn't know until breakfast. She had come in, and sat down as usual, seemingly oblivious to the silence that had fallen. When she saw the headlines on the newspaper in front of her, Kaden had barely just enough time to pull her plate out of her way before Eadlyn's head slammed down on the table.

"Sis, you okay?"

"Fuuuuuccccckkkkk," Eadlyn said, not lifting her head up from the table.

"Want me to read it to you?" Eadlyn nodded to her little brother.

The fourteen year old cleared his throat before reading, "'Shock and horror ripped through the hearts of the public when last night's footage came out. Our beloved princess' – you hear that Eadlyn? You're beloved."

"Super."

Kaden laughed before continuing, "'Our beloved princess has faced brutal sexism all this time. Princess Eadlyn has been constantly seen beside her father since she was twelve, helping make decisions about the coutry and learning from the best how to run it, but, as we saw in her conversation with Sir Kile, everything is not as easy as it seems. She is bound in chains by her gender through the sexism and prejudice of the politicians. Which leaves the question: How different would our country be if she wasn't bound? Would there even be a housing problem in the South? Tension between the factitious divides of the long ago castes? Or are the handcuffs good, and keep Princess Eadlyn from destroying our nation. As for the answer, we'll never know, because, as our Princess put it best, 'There are some things even a Schreave can't do' and destroying those metal binds is one of them.'"

There was silence as Eadlyn picked up her head and looked at the newspaper, "Well…This may be good depending on how we can spin it."

Then she left.

She never looked at Kile.

Eadlyn had never named names. There was no fingerpointing or calling out individual people on the sexism, but you would've thought there was.

The politicians were furious, saying it would ruin their careers and how they would never get reelected after this scandal. Eadlyn watched, puzzled to the core. These people had just been accused of being sexist and prejudice, but they weren't examining themselves, weren't seeing if there was a grain of truth in the words, weren't looking back at their choices. They were worrying about elections.

It made Eadlyn want to cry and scoff and…laugh. Oh, the irony of her situation! These men were concerned about keeping their jobs, yet no one seemed keen on doing their jobs.

She sat at her father's desk, trying to get work done, as every politician employed by Illea either called or came in personally to complain. That was how Kile found her. She was tired and stressed and had three people waiting to talk to her, so Kile took it upon himself to push them out of the room and give her some peace and calm, but the politician Eadlyn had put on speakerphone wouldn't allow it.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD HAPPEN! YOU ACCUSING US OF SEXISM IS NOT GOING TO HELP US WIN THE RACE!"

"No one is attacking you of anything. This will all blow over soon."

"And I will still lose half of my female vote!" the politician kept talking, but Eadlyn was already too far away.

Kile had come to stand in front of her and he was keeping her distracted with feather light kisses around her face and on her lips.

The man droned on as Kile lifted the 'working' princess out of her seat and onto the desk. She smiled at him, welcoming him to her office, even if he wasn't allowed.

He placed a light kiss on her lips before planting another one on her neck. He leaned up, smirking, and whispered in her ear, "Have you figured out my middle name yet?"

Eadlyn groaned quietly, "I couldn't even tell you mine right now."

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!" the politican shouted, and Eadlyn turned to the phone.

"No. And if you don't stop complaining and get to work I'll tell everyone about how you grabbed my ass at the Christmas party. Then, you'll lose the other half of your female vote!"

She hung up before looking at Kile, "Amos?"

Kile had to laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 6

It was cliché. Totally cliché, but he loved it. Mostly because Eadlyn barely reached his chest, so when she stretched up to place her hands over his eyes she had to press herself against his back.

"Guess you?"

"Gee, I just don't know. Someone that is barely five foot."

"Five foot two, jerk."

He smiled and turned around, taking her in, "Who's jacket is that?"

The rest of the outfit was impeccable, as always. The red dress was professional, but flirty and her hair fell around her in soft curls. The jacket on the other hand was illfitting, the sleeves falling off her arms. It had to be one of the boy's and Kile didn't like the thought of someone marking Eadlyn as theirs besides him.

Then he stopped himself. He couldn't even mark her as his. She didn't know how he felt about her and he had no right to be mad that she had let another man do what Kile wanted nothing more to do.

Eadlyn looked fondly at the fabric and Kile felt his heart tug. "It's Ahren's. Or it was."

Kile felt ashamed. Of course, it was Ahren's; Eadlyn would never wear around one of the boy's clothes around this early in the competition, if at all. "Of course it is."

Eadlyn's eyes told him she knew exactly what he had been thinking, but she didn't mention it.

"You miss him." Kile stated because it was a fact.

When Ahren had left and Queen America had gotten out of her surgery, the first thing Eadlyn had done was call Ahren, over and over again. Kile knew that Ahren was afraid that his twin was mad at him and wouldn't pick up in a while. Eadlyn had even tried calling the queen to see if she could convince her brother to call back, but the queen said it was important for him to make his own choices now. Eadlyn had replied that family was also important and hung up.

Eventually, she had settled with asking the Illean ambassador in France to look at him.

"Yeah, I miss him. He seemed to be the only one that knew what to do about the Selection."

"And you don't?" Kile asked.

Eadlyn laughed, "God, no. Ahren was the one who understood love and all that, he was the romantic one, and I was the logical one. I don't understand…feelings."

Kile laughed a little, "You? Not understanding feelings? Impossible!" he joked.

Eadlyn pushed on his shoulder, but let him pull her into a hug, "Yeah, well. I just…"

"What?"

"…You can't fall slowly. You can see a fall like it's in slow motion, but the actual fall happens in a matter of seconds. If you follow logic…"

"You can't fall slowly in love," Kile nodded, showing he understood.

"It just doesn't follow the rule. It doesn't make logical sense."

Kile put his chin on the top of his head and mumbled, "Maybe it's the exception."

"Maybe…Did you really think it was one of the boys' jackets?"

"Honestly. Yes. I did."

She hummed and pulled him towards her room. She sat him on the bed and straddled him, tossing her hair over her shoulders and out of the way, "I can't wear your jacket and I would have to cover it up later, but…"

Kile looked up at her, entranced by the woman in front of him. She knew it bothered him, and a part of him wondered if she wanted it to. He tried to imagine what it would be like to see her walk into the dining hall and know that he had secretly marked her as his own.

"Oh, fuck," he cursed before bringing his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. She returned the kiss with just as much passion, pulling on his hair to bring him closer to her.

Kile made a slow trek from her lips to her jaw as her breathing got faster. Her heart seemed like it was trying the reach through her chest and get to his and he had to contain a small noise from making its way out of his throat.

When he finally latched onto her neck, she threw her head back, tightened her grip on his hair, and made a high pitched keen.

His middle name almost flew from his lips, but he just let his hands sink down from her waist into dangerous territory, more to keep her still than to feel anything. If she kept rocking against him, there would be no turning back.

The bruise was just beginning to show when she left.

The next morning, she entered the dining room with concealer on her neck (not that anyone but him and her maid knew that) and a very flirty dress.

Kaden noticed, of course, because the fourteen year old was oddly perceptive, "So, sis, how are you doing today?"

She smirked at him, "Good. Great actually."

AU NOTE: So, I hope that wasn't too graphic for you all. Sorry, not sorry, I guess.


	7. Chapter 7

Where the Storm Lulls Ch 7

"Eadlyn, just remember: I have that God awful baby picture of you."

That's how this all started. This whole competition they were having was based on a joking threat, but now they were both committed, and there was no turning back.

Eadlyn had told an embarrassing story about Kile from when he was younger and Kile had naturally warned her that he could do the very same thing she did.

"Yes, but not better than I can," she had replied haughtily, showing the insane, prideful girl that he had somehow fell in love with. Kile wasn't used to seeing her display this side. Ever since Ahren had left her and her mother had shown her the Schreaves weren't invincible and Kile had broken down her remaining walls one by one, Eadlyn had been more humble, more lovable (Kile hadn't thought that possible, but it was true.), and more…Eady (which was probably Kile's favorite way of describing her).

"You want to bet?"

And from there, the competition was born and Kile had walked into the dining room to see a blownup picture of his fifth birthday (he wore a cake beard in the picture. Kile thought he looked good) pasted on the wall.

Kile had blushed with the questions and laughs, but Eadlyn's real plan came to fulfillment when she stood behind his chair where he was sitting next to the boys and she whispered softly, so no one could hear, "You look good with a beard. Maybe if you grow one out I'll let you bite me, not just suck on me."

He had to wiggle in his chair for the rest of breakfast.

Luckily for him, a new movie, a highly anticpated one, made its way to the palace's theatre and Ahren's room had been unlocked.

For the rest of the week, whenever someone sat down to watch a movie they had to watch a video of Eadlyn when she was younger that Kile had stolen from Ahren's room. (He tried the door to his best friend's room again the next day, but it was mysteriously locked.

"Very well played," Eadlyn had said as Kile's stubble brushed her neck on his way down.

There had been very many rounds and it seemed that as the game intensified so did their desire for each other. No clothes had been taken off (Kile repeated "No middle name, no nakedness." like a mantra whenever Eadlyn straddled him. [Eadlyn had told him she was going to get it written above his bed if he kept saying it]).

And it had all come this. The ultimate showdown, in front of the whole nation.

"So, tell Illea what the two of you have been doing this past week," Gavril said, gesturing towards the cameras.

(Kile was tempted to say 'I don't kiss and tell' but he would get in trouble with Eady if he did.)

"Well, Gavril. You know how I said some people don't get to see Eadlyn the way the Selected do? I realized that the boys didn't get to see Eadlyn grow up the way I did. So, naturally, I set out to level the playing field and settle this injustice once and for all."

Eadlyn rolled her eyes beside him, "Well, aren't you just the knight in shining armor?"

Kile nodded, trying to keep a straight face, but Eadlyn's hair was in a simple braid (Eadlyn had whispered in his ear that after the newscast he could take it out and pull on her hair all he wanted, then she had happily skipped off to talk to Osten as Kile adjusted himself.) and she was looking at him with thinly veiled delight and Kile knew he was in trouble. (God, he loved it when he was in trouble with Eadlyn, when her hips would buck against his harder and she would make wonderfully, sinful noise in the back of her throat just so he would curse under his breath.)

"The knight in shining armor that made me watch a video of Ahren and I naked in the bathtub when we were three."

Kile laughed, "That one was adorable. You got to admit it."

The look she gave him showed him that she could be things besides adorable. A flash of last night, when she was above him and her hands not quite on, but near where he wanted her the most, peeped itself into his vision. Eadlyn smirked when he shifted almost inperceptively and Kile had to look back at Gavril (he knew she was trying to distract him. He knew she was succeeding.)

"She left out the part where everyone had to stare at my cowboy onesie in the dining hall."

"You want adorable, that's it," Eadlyn had commented.

Kile had turned towards her, "You want adorable? I've got the dreaded picture."

Gavril covered his mouth with his hand to settle himself before anything else funny spurted out of the couple's mouths (the sexual tension in the room was almost palpable, so it was funny to the old man that talking about them as babies had brought it out."

"Go for it," Eadlyn said confidently. The simple sentence struck fear into his heart.

 _What did she have on him?_

He brought the picture out of his pocket and smoothed it out, handing it over to Gavril, who laughed at the picture of two year old Eadlyn with her hair like Einstein's sticking out everywhere peeking at the camera over Queen America's desk.

Gavril showed the cameras and Eadlyn smirked (Kile didn't know it was possible to be both turned on and scared.)

And nodded to Osten (oh, shit), who came forward with a shoebox that Kile recognized, "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes. I'm going to embarrass you more than that awful tie you're correctly wearing."

"Are you now?" Kile asked, scratching at his stubble. Anyone who didn't know Eadlyn wouldn't have noticed the shudder of breath Eadlyn took, but it was one Kile knew well. It sounded and looked the same whenever she brushed her cheek against her jaw in bed (Kile always knew to then brush the stubble against the hickeys on her neck, the ones only they knew were there, to bring out a long, throaty moan).

(This 'no middle name, no nakedness' was killing them both.)

Eadlyn hummed as she opened the box, "I had to get Josie to help me find this in the attic."

"You and my sister? Working together?"

"My dear, embarrassing you will always bring the two of us together."

('My dear' sounded so tame compared to the things he had called him in bed.)

(God, he needed to stop doing that to himself.)

Eadlyn pulled out a picture, "I didn't have much time to look at this, but of the ones I saw, this one was my favorite." She showed it to him, then to Gavril, "You know, I'm not going to judge you for wearing a dress, but I will judge you for wearing those boots with it."

(God, he wanted to kiss her.)

Eadlyn pulled out picture after picture, making Kile's face red with each one (he had forgotten about most of these. For good reason.) until she stopped in her tracks, picking up the thick piece of paper, "Is this a copy of your birth certificate? The birth certificate that has _your middle name on it!_ "


	8. Chapter 8

Where the Storm Lulls CH. 8

The door slammed behind them as they entered Kile's old room, where they wouldn't be disturbed.

Eadlyn whimpered as Kile back her up against the wall, his mouth already on hers, "You stubborn girl. You just keep pushing for it, don't you?"

Eadlyn groaned softly, "You want it just as much as I do."

"Oh, God. I do…but we really shouldn't be doing this just because you snooped around and found out a name."

Eadlyn kissed her way down and then back up his neck before latching onto his earlobe, "If you let us do this now, I promise I'll be a good girl."

Kile moaned at the innuendo before picking her up by her butt and setting her on his bed, he tugged at her dress in the back, "How do you open this?"

Eadlyn hummed, "Figure it out. You'll need to know for later."

"Are you saying you'll let me…fuck, Eady." He tugged again, "You'll let me make love to you more than once. More than this one time."

"There's a latch in the back," she said softly, moving his hands to where it is, "Fortunately, most of the dresses I have are undone that way. Won't be that hard for you."

His mouth hung open a little as Eadlyn uncovered herself to her waist. She smirked a little, "Would you like to see the rest?"

 **M SCENE**

"Yes," Kile said softly and Eadlyn pushed him so he took a few steps back and she could stand in front of him. She pushed him into a kneeling position, before still standing up, letting the rest of the dress gracefully uncover her panties (black panties. She had told him that before the _Report_ ).

Eadlyn sighed softly as Kile leaned forward, planting a kiss on her thigh. He smirked evilly before drawing her skin into his mouth, planting a bruise where etiquette required her to cross her legs at. Every time she sat down, her other leg would land on the bruise and she would be forced to remember this night.

The soft 'oh, lord' that escaped her lips showed that she knew exactly why he had done it.

"Kile," she said, pulling on his hair a little, "Make love to me. Please."

He stood up, pulling her hair from her braid before picking her up and laying her softly on the bed, "I think learning the dress is enough for one day." He dug his face into her breasts, "You uncage these."

Eadlyn moaned, bringing her hands around her back to unhook her bra before throwing it off. Kile brought his hands up to her breasts, and Eadlyn made the keen she does when they've discovered something she likes.

The sound itself almost did Kile in, "I won't last much longer if you keep making those sounds."

Eadlyn's groan was louder, "Don't tell me you don't like it, I can feel you."

She smirked at him and Kile plucked at her nipples before diving into her panties, "I'm not the only one who likes this."

One of her hands covered his under her panties to help guide his movement as her other pushed the unwanted garment off her body. Once she felt him gain confidence in his movements (he kept grazing that one spot that made her cry out and buck her hips [she may have loved him for it]), she made quick work of his jacket. The tie (camo. God, she hated it.) went straight into the nearby fireplace and the shirt was almost off when she stopped, her whole body shaking as he added another finger inside her.

She made a sound, much like a higher pitched, louder keen, before whispering (she didn't trust herself to be able to say it without shouting), "Yes. Yes, Kile. More. More. Just one more."

When he did what she said to do, she had to hold onto his shoulders as she exploded.

"That's it, baby. That's it." Kile sounded so aroused, yet so gentle and it made Eadlyn love him more (she didn't know when she had started using this 'love' word when it came to Kile, but, God, she liked how it sounded).

"Clothes, off. Now." Eadlyn was incapable of making complete sentences but Kile got the message anyway (he always seemed to get the message when Eadlyn did0n't know she was sending one, why would this one be any different?).

He quickly did away with his shirt and pants, slipping out of his boxers before catching the hand Eadlyn was surprised to find was reaching towards the one part of his body she had not been acquainted with yet, "If you do that this would be done."

So instead, Eadlyn leaned back on the bed, "I'm on vitamins that make it impossible for me to get pregnant, now get up here."

"Don't you mean 'in here'?"

Eadlyn laughed heartily and Kile took the happy distraction to pierce through her virginity before she had time to tense up.

Her breath hitched and her eyes widened briefly with pain, but after a couple minutes, she rocked against him, "Oh, Kile."

"Eady." He put his arms on either side of her head, changing the angle a little bit and Eadlyn closed her eyes, bucking against him, "There. There. There."

Oh, God. She was so beautiful with her face scrunched up, so close. He remember the face she made the first time she came, the searching look turning into one of pure ecstasy and put his hand between her legs to one of the places she showed him and she erupted.

He came a second after her, entranced at the beauty before him.

 **M SCENE DONE**

"Oh, God. I love you, Eady."

She looked at him, trying to catch her breath, "What did you just say?"

There was silence for a second, before Kile shook his head, "I don't want to scare you, but…I love you."

He looked at her surprised face and backtracked, "I know you have the others and Illea and—"

"I love you, too."

"But…What happened? What did I do?"

She smiled at him, smoothing back his hair, "What didn't you do for me?"

"You love me?"

She nodded, "I think I always have in a way, and that was why you annoyed me. I tried so hard to make you boring, but you never really were and…I think we both know I'm no emotions expert."

Kile laughed before kissing her, and Eadlyn's smile turned mischievous, "Want to pull my hair now?"


	9. Chapter 9

Where the Storm Lulls CH. 9

They were complete opposites in bed than they were in real life. In real life, Eadlyn almost never wore her hair down, but in bed she let him mess up her maid's work so he could play with it. In real life, Kile hated when she talked in Spanish at him, but in bed, cuddled up beside her as she whispered in the exotic language, he loved it more than anything (and when she started talking in it rapidly in a moment of passion, when Kile didn't think she knew she was talking at all, that almost always does him in [when he learned how to ask permission in Spanish her eyes flew open and she could barely nod her consent before moaning so loud he had to cover her mouth]). In real life, they could hardly have a conversation without it becoming a competition of wit, but in bed they worked together in perfect harmony, In real life, they hated making fools of themselves, but in bed it was okay (he knows it the moment Eadlyn almost falls out of bed and they have to stop because they're both laughing so hard).

He tells Eadlyn, no, Eady, this and she laughs before grabbing his hand and dragging him through the gardens.

He knows her relationships with the others are growing too. Holden bragged of a kiss (Kile knew he was just excited, but a part of him wanted to tell the boy that he had gotten thousands, just to shut him up [okay, he was jealous, but he wasn't going to admit it]). Henri talked of Eadlyn daily, and Kile tried to seem impartial to it but even Erik rolled his eyes when he said anything noncommittal. The boys decided not to share about the dates with each other, but occasionally they would check in to see who was really where ("I kissed her." "I got to touch her boobs." "No, you didn't, stop lying.") Ean was the one who figured out how to get around the palace's security block and watch the news to see how each boy stood in the eyes of the public (Kile was a favorite ["Of course, he is, he grew up with her. Too bad the people don't know Eadlyn and Kile can't go to seconds without being at each other's throats."])

Even Eadlyn's brothers had noticed Kile's change and noticed the couple's disappearances ("Didn't Eadlyn have her hair up before she disappeared with you?" "Uhhhhh, ask your sister.")

Kile kept Queen America 'updated' as she put it, and then, somehow, his mother would get the information later that day (Eadlyn laughed at Kile's misfortune when his mother tried to talk about his love life with him ["Love life," Eadlyn had said when she calmed down, "I like that." Kile smiled, "I do too."]).

The guards stopped trying to keep Kile away from sectors of the palace the Selected weren't allowed onto, which meant Kile got to bring lunch to Eadlyn when she forgot to eat (she started forgetting every day when she realized it meant alone time with him [they figured out that they didn't like desk sex, mostly because Eadlyn's desk was also her father's and…ew]).

Around midafternoon, Kile would steal her away for a walk through the gardens (King Maxon said he thought it was good that Kile got his daughter away from her desk every once and a while ["This was exactly what I hoped the Selected would do, take care of her. She needs it."])

It seemed the only people who weren't content during this time were the press, and it showed. Every time Kile went to Eadlyn's room, her desk was covered with newspapers "SELECTION AT A STANDSTILL!" "Is Princess Eadlyn Indecisive?"

When Eadlyn's hand traced patterns on his bare chest at two in the morning, she whispered a secret to him, "I don't want to eliminate anyone. I am decisive about that."

"Why not?"

She looked up at him, "Because I love you all in your own ways."

Kile tried to swallow his jealousy, "Of course you do. I guess it's just a matter of who you love most."

She took a deep breath and let it shake out of her body, "I'm not good with feelings."

"I wish I could help you, but…I'm bias."

Eadlyn's eyes searched his, "You mean you want me to pick you? What about being an architect and getting out of here? What about your dreams? I don't want to steal them from you."

Kile stayed quiet for a minute, "I don't—"

"Don't. Don't say anything until you're sure. Either way. And you tell me then."

Kile tried to digest what she was saying, "If I agree to be your husband, I have to give up architecture and be prince consort, but if I don't I lose you to someone else and I have to watch you all make a life together and have kids and be happy."

"Yes," Eadlyn said, sitting up so she could look him in the eye, "And, in the end, even if you decide you could stay with me and be mine—"

"You might not be able to choose me, I know."

Then, she kissed him, because what else could she have done?

"So, what's it going to be?" Queen America asked later that day.

"I don't know…I really don't. How'd you decide to stay?"

Queen America thought, "I guess I realized…I don't know, that I wanted him regardless. This job…it can ruin people if they let it and I wanted to be there to help him against it. I wanted Maxon and I was willing to give up anything I needed to so that I could be there for him."

"What if I don't know if I can do that? I…no offense, but I hate this place. This isn't home. These hallways and rooms feel like a cage and I want to see the world and create buildings and…"

"Could you imagine doing those things without my daughter by your side?"

Like always, Queen America's question hit him straight like a brick in the face.

"Don't think of the hallways in the palace alone, think of her in them, walking them, humming, or skipping down them. Think of little kids, the perfect mix of you both, laughing as the played tag in the hall like you and Eadlyn did when you were younger. Does that feel like a home now?"

The smile that had spread across Kile's face when he imagined it vanished, "I don't know."

"You will. When the time comes."

AU NOTE: SO, DO YOU THINK HE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT? GUESS WE'LL FIND OUT. WELL, YOU ALL WILL. I ALREADY KNOW.


	10. Chapter 10

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 10

Eadlyn had been distracted and distant all day. Kile came by with her lunch, and she had told him that she had to push back their date about an hour. When he asked why, she smiled, "Just a meeting that suddenly popped up."

"Is everything alright?"

"Never better," and then she pushed him out of her office.

She declined a walk when he came again. She had never done that before and it had become so routine that everyone knew not to schedule a meeting around that time (the one time they did, the politicians had been surprised to find that she didn't show up and had forced them to have the same meeting later; they quickly learned their lesson). The guards were just as surprised as Kile was when he returned without Eadlyn on his arm ("It was good, you know?" they had said when they asked him about it, "This shift is long, but it's fought over with the guards just so we can see you two, so in love, drifting down the hallway. It helps time pass and it…it makes us hope. If you two are our future, it's a bright one.")

That made Kile feel a little better and he blazed through his day until he saw Eadlyn again.

Her hair was down, her eyes tired, and her body a little slumped.

"I think we should just hang out here tonight, instead of the movies." Kile said, "You look exhausted."

"I was just about to propose that," she said, "Will you just…hold me and talk."

So, Kile pulled Eadlyn onto the bed and under the covers, "Did I tell you about the building I'm working on now?"

She shook her head and studied him, taking him all in.

"Oh, it's so cool. I mean, I guess I'm bias, but I think it's one of the best buildings ever drawn. It's going to be a spiral going up and up and up, like the staircases in the palace. It's going to have a single sturdy, like heavy duty sturdy, like survive a hurricane sturdy, pole and the levels are going to be trapezoids and they're going to move to the left two feet each time they go up and it's going to slowly spiral. It's going to be gorgeous, absolutely magnificent with marble and golden windows and that one spot of two acres is going to house around five hundred people."

Kile looked down at Eadlyn, who had her head on his chest (her favorite spot to sleep, she had admitted it) and was surprised to find her awake, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just like watching you talk about architecture. Your eyes light up and…it's beautiful. I feel like if I sleep, I'll regret not seeing you talk like that."

"Well," Kile smiled, "You can't live with any regrets, can you?"

Her smile melted.

"Eady, what's wrong?"

"Don't call me that," she snapped, sitting up.

"What? What is going on with you? You've been acting weird all—"

"I'm eliminating you."

Kile became more frantic, "What? What do you mean eliminate? You can't do that."

"I'm the princess. I can do what I want and I'm eliminating you. I'm done pretending we could be something that we aren't."

"Pretending?" Kile felt like his world was shattering. Why was she doing this? "Eadlyn, why are you doing this?"

"I'm letting you go. There's a job down in the South that you can take, but you're not welcome here."

"Eady—"

"I said not to call me that."

"Eadlyn, just explain to me—"

"There's nothing to explain! Guards!" the men in uniform, the same men from this morning, poured into the room, "Escort Sir Kile out of the palace and to the airplane."

Then, Kile was being dragged out of the room and down the hallway. The Selected came out of their rooms looking just as surprised as he was. Henri, not understanding what was happening, not understanding what the guards were saying ("Clear a path for the eliminated!") tried to pry the guards' hands off of Kile, but Erik pulled him back.

"What did you do?!" Hale yelled, not judgmentally, just trying to understand what was going on.

Kile didn't answer him and was soon on the plane to…he didn't know where.

He arrived in the middle of the South, lower Mexico a guard told him, and when the plane's door opened there was one of the best architects of his time, Matthew Walabee.

"You must be Kile," the architect said.

"Yes, sir. I am."

"Princess Eadlyn sent me some of your drawings a little while ago. She said I had to see them, that they were amazing. She was right about that, so when I got this new project, I told her I could take you as an intern. Not only did she agree, but she gave us an unlimited stipend. Anything you want to build, we'll make it happen."

So, this was where Eadlyn was sending him so she didn't have to deal with him. It could have been worse he supposed, but, then again, it could've been better, he could still be at the palace.

"Well, there is this one building. Have you ever made a building look like a spiral?"  
*************************************************************************************

He didn't expect Josie to come for him, but when he arrived back at his apartment, seven days after he was eliminated, there she was amongst the many papers and plans on his floor, "What did you do?" she asked, never being one for pleasantries.

"I was eliminated," Kile said simply, remorse filling him at the thought of that night again.

"Bull shit, Kile," his younger sister said.

"Excuse me?"

"I know about the deal, about the choice. You chose _this_ over _her_. Kile, I didn't even like her, but I liked her with you! Everyone did. You made her smarter and kinder and _happier_. _You made her happy!_ That was a feat everyone thought was impossible, and you did it with a simple walk or a smile. Yet, when it came down to it, you gave her up. I thought she was worth it to you. That's the only reason I put up with her relentless questions about you and helped her get the box. I thought she was worth taking the crown to you!"

"She is! She is worth the crown and the job and the press and the politicians and the unceasing rumors. All of it. She is worth it to me!"

"Then, why did you choose this?!"

"Josie, I didn't have a choice! She eliminated me out of the blue! We were find one day and the next she was saying that she was pretending it all and that she didn't want to anymore! I don't know what choice there is in that!"

His sister was quiet for a minute, "She didn't…? She told Mom…"

"She told Mom what? Josie, tell me what Eadlyn told her."

Instead, Josie held out a DVD, "You need to watch this."

Before any questions could spurt out of Kile's mouth, the small disk was popped into his screen and Eadlyn and Mom stood before him.

From the date at the bottom of the screen, Kile could see that it was the same day as his elimination, "What is this?"

"Just wait," Josie told him, pressing him into a seat, "One of the news crews was hiding and they caught this."

"I got a phone call from an architect today," Eadlyn began.

"Oh?" Mom said.

"He says he has room for interns in a project down South. He wants Kile."

"What did you say?"

"I told him that I would talk to Kile about it and get back to him on it. Walabee told me the placement might not be open for very long and to hurry."

Marlee nodded, "Here's what we're going to do. We'll just tell Kile about this when the placement is filled. We'll tell him that we tried to get him into it, but it didn't work out."

Eadlyn was confused, "What are you talking about? This is his dream we're talking about! We can't do that!"

"Eadlyn, do you love my son?"

"Yes."

Her answer was so resolute, so final. They were both no longer scared of the word 'love'.

"Then, you don't have to see him leave. You can keep him here. You can marry him. You can be happy! Just don't tell him."

Eadlyn seemed to take a step back in a revelation, "You were the one that put his name in the Selection, didn't you?"

Marlee stood up straighter, "Of course I did. I jump at even the littlest possibility that my son's name would be drawn and placed in the Selection just to keep him here longer. I kept him here. Now, it's your turn."

"This place is a cage to him, he deserves the opportunity to leave if he wants. I'm going to give him a choice. He can stay here if he wishes or he can go with the architect and neither of us are going to stand in his way."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I will do everything in my power to keep him here."

"And I will do everything in my power to make sure he gets his dream." The sure statement echoed the halls, "If that means throwing you in jail to do it, I will."

There was a long silence, "I came to you asking permission for your son to go if he wants, but now I'm ordering it. You will respect his decision."

Then, Eadlyn turned to leave, but Marlee's voice rang out, "If you give him that choice it will always haunt you, either way. One way, you get Kile, but you always wonder if he would have been happier doing architecture, and the other, you will always wonder why you weren't good enough to make him stay."

Then, the screen went blank, leaving the siblings thoughtful.

"So," Josie began, "She wanted to give you a choice and that's what the nation thought she did, but…"

"Mom's words haunted her," Kile said, "She couldn't stand having those regrets weighing on her. That's why she seemed so upset when I mentioned regrets."

"So, she chose to make the decision for you, but she didn't want to be like Mom and keep you locked up."

There was a short silence, before Josie said what they were both thinking, "She gave up her happiness just so you could live your dream and get out of the palace…shit, now I have to like her."

"I have to do something," Kile said getting up.

Josie pulled on his hand, "Wait, Kile, there's something you should know. After you left, Eadlyn poured herself into her work for four days straight. No one could get her to do anything else and…she collapsed. She had a heart attack. Like her mom."


	11. Chapter 11

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 11

"You don't understand, I have to talk to him!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I was told not to bother the prince consort with calls from his family."

"From who? The Queen?"

"I'm not allowed to give out that information at this time."

"Listen to me very carefully, I need you to go into his office and tell him that his mother and twin have both had a heart attacks. Please!"

"…I'm very sorry to hear that, but I was told—"

"I know what you were told," then Kile hung up.

Kile entered his room again to see Josie just hanging up the phone, "There's a plane waiting to take you to Angeles. You should be able to get there before dusk. I'll stay here and make excuses."

"Thank you, sis. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"I didn't do this for you," Josie said looking at him, "You took care of her, but the saving went both ways. She made you…incessantly, sickeningly happy, just like you did her. I didn't do this for you."

Kile was filled with a sudden realization, "You did it for her."

"She was the closest thing I had to a role model: strong, independent, confident. My role model hated me, but…well, I guess you aren't the only Woodwork to love her. I wanted to do something right and selfless for once. For her. And you, I guess, but…"

"She has that kind of effect."

Josie waved her hand at him, "Go. Save your princess. In the mean time, I'm raiding your fridge."

Kile got to the palace in what seemed like record time, and ran up the steps only to be stopped by guards. He forgot what that was like.

"Freeze!"

"I need to see Eady!" Kile said desparately. He was so close, _so close_.

"I can't let you in."

Kile recognized the voice, it had the same deep timbre as the guardd that had talked to him the day he was eliminated.

"Please. It was just a misunderstanding. If I can get past, I can make things right, I can help her."

"Let him through," a light voice said, and Kile turned to see Queen America in a dress looking like she did before her heart attack, but leaning against the banister.

"Queen America," Kile said racing towards her. The mother wrapped him in a hug and studied him for a while before Kile could get out, "How is she?"

"She's asleep. Has been for a while. You know Eadyln, she was follows Newton's First and Second Law: When she's mocing, she'll stay moving."

"And when she's resting, she'll stay resting."

Queen America smiled through tears, "I couldn't stand in there any longer. She's hooked up to all those wires and is deathly pale and…my baby!"

She dissolved into tears and Kile wrapped his arms around her again.

Through sobs, Queen America got out, "They started training Kaden to do her job, to be the next heir. The advisers already gave up on her! They think she's a lost cause."

"I need to see her," Kile said, disentangling himself from the hysterical mom.

Just when he started on, she pulled him back, "Save my baby, Kile. You might be the only one able to do it."

Kile could only nod.

"Kaden?" Kile asked as he neared the hospital bed.

On it laid Eadlyn, only, the ghost version of her. Her natural tan wasn't there and the only sign that she was alive was the constant beep from her heart moniter.

"Kile!" the young boy of fourteen cried before throwing his arms around the man he looked at as a brother, "You came back! You came back for her."

"Of course I did," Kile said thickly.

Eady's younger brother looked…so much like her, right down to the tired eyes. Kaden seemed to notice what Kile observed and smiled, "I just came to ask her what I should do. The advisors… they talk to me like I would take this job from her…like I would want it and steal it from her when given the chance. They talk to me about huge decisions and planning and budgeting and I don't know any of this and…I came to ask her what to do."

Kile smiled at the fourteen year old, "Eadlyn's notes are in the top drawer of her desk. If you go get them for me, I can help you."

With a nod, Kaden scampered off, leaving Kile alone with Eadlyn.

"You stupid, wonderful girl, you have to live, you hear me? You live and we'll work this out. Okay?"

The rest of the night, Kile helped Kaden decipher the humungous pile of notes by Eadlyn's bedside.

"So, she wanted to cut the army to make room for the building projects?" Kaden asked.

"They're still drafting people to make up for the losses within the army ranks, mostly from the South, so dwindling the army for the building is a win-win for them, but a lot of advisors didn't want to do it."

"Whay not?"

"Because if we go to war suddenly and our army is too small—"

The doors banged open.

"Ahren!" Kaden cried before being swept up into his brother's arms.

"Hey, buddy!" Ahren sat his younger brother down on the ground as Camille entered the room.

There was silence for a second as Ahren took in his older sister. Without taking his eyes off of her, he told Kile, "My secretary gave me your message. This whole time, I thought you all were ignoring me, disowning me. She gave me a huge stack of messages and letters that the Queen had said not to give to me. She said it was worth losing her job over."

He finally looked at his best friend, "I didn't even know about Mom."

"I'm sorry," Kile said, not knowing what else there was.

"What did the doctors say?" Camille asked softly, like she didn't think she should be here.

"They say she needs rest, but aren't sure if she'll wake up. I don't know. I just got here myself."

"What do you mean?" Ahren asked.

"There was…a misunderstanding and I left. Was forced to leave."

"What? What happen—"

"Does it matter?" Kaden said suddenly, "He's back. He's here. That's that."

Ahren turned to his brother, "Kaden—"

"You left. You left and if Kile hadn't been her, Eadlyn would have been dead a long time ago. No one was able to get to her besides him, so until he's able to work it out with Eadlyn we're not going to ask about it."

"Kaden…I'm sorry." Was all that Ahren could get out, "I didn't know this would happen."

"You could've called," Kaden whispered, looking back at his sister.

"I'm sorry."


	12. Chapter 12

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 12

The palace was slowly falling apart. Eadlyn's bed was always surrounded by at least three boys and one member of her family. The Selected (and Kile) had made a schedule so that Eadlyn was constantly surrounded by her boys (" _My_ boys," Eadlyn had told Gavril, "They're mine and you can't have them."). Her family had made their own (including Camille). Ahren remained a steady fixture at Eadlyn's bedside, constantly talking to the boys ("I watched the _Report._ I saw how she looks at them. The least I could do, after everything I did to her, is get to know the men that mean so much to her and make them mean something to me too. That's a good start, right?")

Everyone being by Eadlyn's side seemed to be the only thing going right. Outside, the nation erupted with distress, the South seemed to hold its breath to see if their Princess would be okay ("It's funny. While they had you, Eady, they didn't like you, but I guess they like you more than the politicians ruling in your stead.") and the caste discrimination returned with full force, and politicians ran rampant doing nothing about the unrest and, if anything, made it worse ("Why don't hey do something about it?" Kaden had asked and Kile had shrugged, "They thrive on it. It's where their getting the majority of their power and taking away King Maxon's.")

It wasn't until the _Report_ that it was only Kile alone with Eadlyn. He looked at her fragile face, skimming the features that he knew by heart, but looked so utterly unfamiliar.

"They told me that your stitches were almost completely healed. That by now you would be able to sit up in bed. Maybe now you'll wake up? Now that you could do work?

"Eadlyn, please. Open your eyes. Talk to me. I still don't fully understand why you did what you did. Please. Just explain it to me. Eady."

"She won't answer. Not yet," a voice said behind him.

Kile whipped around to see Lady Brice sitting behind him.

She sat down on the opposite side of Eadlyn and smiled at him, "She'll wake up when she's ready and not a second before. I know you, Kile. You think you can just swoop in and save her, just like she thinks she can save the world, but you can't."

What as it with women in hospital bays throwing things at Kile that he didn't want to hear?

"I—I know. I just…"

Lady Brice looked at him for a second, "Maybe you all have it the opposite way. Maybe Eadlyn is supposed to save you and you're supposed to save her country. Truthfully, I think she's held up her end of the bargain. Will you?"

"You're here to drag me into politics, aren't you?"

"Absolutely."

Lady Brice entered a meeting the next day with an army of Selected.

"Brice? What is this?" an old man asked, leaning forward.

"I brought testosterone."

"What for?"

"This," Lady Brice said, holding up a document.

The table sighed, some men covered their hands, "She's been trying to pass that for a month. It's not going to happen."

The boys shuffled and the politician looked at them nervously. Lady Brice smiled, "Think of how thrilled the princess will be when she wakes up and finds that we did this for her. Or, like Robert said yesterday, _if_ she wakes up."

Lady Brice's tactic was clear. Before the politicians were the men who had the potential to one day fire them, and if they didn't aim to please them now…the consequences may be severe later on, and, right now, the best way to please them was to pass the act.

While Eadlyn couldn't fire them and risk looking like she was placing people in the government who agreed with them, her prince consort could fire anyone he wanted and the rumors would fly. " _Why had the prince felt the need to fire the politician? Was it because of something they did to Eadlyn? What if he had_ –" It would be bad for the politician and their careers.

So, the Selected stayed and listened to the meeting, pacing the room and making their presence continuously known. If anything unsettled them (like when a politician said, "We need the _king's_ stamp, Brice, not the princess'. This can't go down with her name on it." [Hale handed Eadlyn's stamp to that politician so he had to stamp it himself. He was not happy, but neither were the Selected]).

It was the quickest act passed in a decade, even faster than the soup kitchen act. And Eadlyn, _a girl_ , was the person who would claim credit.

Later on, all the boys gathered around Eadlyn's bedside, talking with Lady Brice, Kaden, Ahren, and Osten (Osten had that smile on his face, so when Henri sat down and the chair fell apart, sending the poor boy to the floor, KIle wasn't surprised.)

Kaden stayed in his usual spot, laying down by his sister with his arms curled around her ("The doctors said she can feel things, so maybe it feels like a hug to her. Maybe it comforts her. Makes her feel more at home. Loved." "I'm sure she does, buddy.")

"What about that dick? The one obsessing over the stamp. What was that all about?" Hale asked Lady Brice.

She shook her head, "They don't like letting Eadlyn sign her own documents or putting her stamp on it. They don't want to give her the credit or making her look better in the eyes of the people."

"That's why he obsessed over it," Kile said thoughtfully, "Because ever since the heart attack happened, everyone was rallied around her and supported her. If the South found out that she had the heart attack because she was wrking so hard on this…the rebellions would cease entirely."

"And the politicians would lose power, yes. So, when you go on the _Report_ , make sure you mention it."

"But," Kaden said thoughtfully, "Then, that would give more power back to Eadlyn and dad, and since I'm Eadlyn's replavement…"

"It would put more stress on you," Ahren said, "But we would help you."

"I don't want your help!" Kaden shouted at him (This had been happening ever since Ahren came back. Kaden had refused to accept anything from Ahren and adamantly held onto the grudge he felt towards his older brother ["It's just tiring," Ahren had told Kile, "I don't know how to make it up to him." "You and Eadlyn were inseparable and Kaden looked up to both of you. Together. Then, you left and Kaden had to watch Eadlyn run herself to the ground. Ahren, he was the one who found Eadlyn. He found her trying to walk down the hallway, scratching at her chest until it bled. One heart attack was already associated with you leaving, so it was very easy to connect it with this one too." "I know, but –" "I don't think you can make that up to him." "I…can't? But. He's my brother I have to. I…"] Kile understood why it was hard for Kaden, and no one had suffered more from Eadlyn's heart attack more than him ["What if she doesn't wake up?" the young boy had asked. "…She will…She has to. For both of us."])

Truthfully, everyone was asking that question. ("If she doesn't wake up…This whole monarchy might fall apart," Kind Maxon had told Kile, swiping his fingers through his hair, "The politicians will seize power and…it would be a dictatorship. They would run this place to the ground. Even if she does… it might be too late.") ("Queen America? What if it is too late? What will they do to her? To all of us?" The mother looked at him, "They would drag her out into the public and make Maxon put a bullet in her skull. Then, they would chop off his head and the rest of ours.") ("I mean, what happens to us if she dies?" Hale asked, "Do we just go home and pretend this never happened? That she didn't change us?" "I can't think I do that," Henri said in broken English. "Neither could I," Kile murmured.) ("We're all waiting for you to come back, Eady." Kile said later, bending over her to smooth her hair. He tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, "Please. Come back to me," I whispered into her neck.)

Lady Brice, the King, Kaden, and even Ahren worked around the clock to keep the country in order ("I can't remember how I did this without Eadlyn helping me. It's just…weird," King Maxon had said.) (The Selected continuously pulled the younger boys out of the office to sleep and eat ["We are _not_ letting you have a heart attack."] But as tensions rose in the palace, with the politicians becoming more and more volitial, it was hard to escape all the stressful situations ("Even if she does come back, how will we keep her from having another one?" Kile asked Queen America. The redhead looked at her kids, the youngest two wrapped around Eadlyn and Ahren sleeping in the chair next to her, "We'll figure something out.)

As the _Report_ rolled around, Lady Brice became a steady fixture in the Men's Parlor, helping them prepare what they were going to say, making sure they put emphasis on how much the housing act meant to Eadlyn and how she worked so diligently to get it past right before ("…Her accident!" Leeland said dramatically and Lady Brice grimaced, "Okay, but let's turn down the waterworks for that.")

Their job was simple, but important, so, even though Kile wasn't technically wasn't one of the Selected anymore ("I don't really know what to call your position right now, but as far as the public knows, Eadlyn gave you a choice and you stayed, so you are still a Selected in their eyes. Let's keep it that way.") they let him be interviewed.

As the tensions in the outside world dwindled as everyone rallied around Eadlyn, the ones in the palace heightened ("They know they're losing power and if they don't seize the country soon…" King Maxon was hysterical now. "We need Eadlyn to wake up." "Yes. Preferably yesterday. We need her seize back her power _now_." "Even if she wakes up right this instant it might not be enough. We need a plan B." "What did you have in mind, Kile?")


	13. Chapter 13

Where the Storm Lulls CH 13

"Dad's trying to distract the politicians," Ahren said, and Kile nodded. They both knew that if the politicians were going to strike, it would be now, this week, and Eadlyn wasn't up yet. Ahren shifted his weight in his chair and looked at his friend, "That was smart, what you came up with. It's the best way and…when Eadlyn wakes up, she might not be very confident. Now that she knows she's not invincible."

Kile looked at him, "Ahren…She already knew that. After you left, after the heart attack her mom had, she knew this could happen to her."

"Then why did she try to run herself into the ground?"

Kile thought about it for a second, "I don't know."

But, the voice behind Kile did, "She wanted to see if she had a heart left." Kile turned around to see the fourteen year old in a suit, looking much older than he really was, "After you both left, two halves of her heart were torn out of her. After that, she could only feel pain, so…She thought she was a monster, thought you two leaving was her fault and…Never mind, if you all don't know by now…"

"We understand," Ahren said, and, for once, Kaden didn't shout at him, he just curled up next to his sister.

"Now that we know what we're going to do when she wakes up, what are we going to do about her stress levels? We need to keep them down, but this job isn't exactly stress free. How are we going to keep her from stressing?"

"She needs something that is calming to balance it out, and she needs to have it with her at all times." Ahren looked puzzled, "What could that be?"

Kile thought about it for a second, "I have an idea. Just let me take care of it."

Ahren grimaced, "You can't solve all of Eadlyn's problems, Kile. You have to let us handle some too."

Kile stared evenly at his friend for a minute, "I'll do whatever I want to make her happy."

It was Camille who had told Kile. He was standing in the hallway when she had run into him, headed towards the king's office and she quickly dragged him away. She spoke rapidly to him, so rapidly that her heavily accented, broken English had made no sense to him, but as she dragged him towards the hospital wing, he suddenly understood and ran past her.

"Eadlyn," he breathed when he saw her sitting up in bed talking to Ahren.

When she saw him, she looked happy, then confused, but Kile didn't care. He took her face in his hands, kissing every inch of it that he could as she said, "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Mexico."

Kile heard Ahren and Camille quietly excuse themselves, talking about going to find King Maxon again, but Kile didn't listen or acknowledge them.

"Eady," Kile started, running his fingers through her hair (God, he missed her eyes. Like melted chocolate, so brown and deep that if someone stepped into the irises they would sink), "I know why you did what you did, why you eliminated me. I know that you were going to give me a choice but then my mother scared you. I know you sent me away and felt terrible and guilty about it and buried yourself in work. I know that you're scared that I will regret something, but the truth is: the only thing I could ever regret is not being able to hold you at night and kiss you good morning and read bedtime stories to our kids and make you laugh and make you happy. I would never regret giving up architecture if I had you."

"You say that now, but what if something happens? What if we don't love each other anymore or I hurt you or—"

"That will never happen."

"Kile!" tears filled her eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to wipe them away, "I had a heart attack. Look me in the eyes and tell me that didn't hurt you. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you didn't cry at my bedside. Can you do any of that?"

"No, but—"

"See? I will only ever hurt you. If this happens again—"

"It won't!" Kile blurted.

"You don't know that! I don't know that! No one can! What if it does and the doctors can't—"

"If that's what losing you feels like then I never want a repeat! That's why I can't leave you!"

Eady was stunned and, finally, her tears fell down her face (Kile couldn't help but remember lying in bed with her as she cried the night he fell in love with her), "I don't deserve you. Not me."

It was the ultimate sign of Eadlyn's breakdown. At the beginning of her Selection, she thought she deserved the world, her pride overwhelming her beautiful personality, but now, after so much (too much. Kile wondered if she would ever be confident again [that made him think of Josie and how his little sister looked up to the broken woman in front of him. {"She's not broken if she's loved." a voice that sounded suspiciously like Queen America said.}]).

"No. Don't you ever think that. I deserve you and you deserve me because we have the right to be happy." Kile stood up from his seat beside her and sat down on the bed next to her, "We can be happy, Eady. Let us be happy."

All she could do was nod.

"When I said 'soon' I didn't mean 'the day after she woke up'," Kile said adamantly.

"I know, but things have gotten out of control," King Maxon said, taking off his glasses and wiping his face, "For so long, we've been talking about threats outside of the castle. I forgot there were others right in our backyard."

"She's ready for it, but I don't think making her do this right after she wakes up is good for her stress levels."

King Maxon stared at him for a second, "Nothing is good for her health right now. If I could, I would strap her to that bed for the rest of her life and make sure she doesn't have to lift a finger, but we don't have that luxury anymore."

Kile looked at his feet as the father continued, "Besides, she's already asking for work."

"Just," Kile thought for a second, "Postpone it for the day after tomorrow. I have a way of keeping down her stress, but I need time."

"And that one day is going to be enough?" Kile nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

Then, the king was gone.

"You're sure about this? This will keep her calm?" Ahren asked.

"Yes, I'm positive. She's a walking de-stressor."

Ahren looked down at the bundle in Kile's arms, just barely light enough for him to carry easily, "Alright. It's as good as anything."

Ahren opened the door to Eady's room (she had insisted on moving to her room and that was fine by Kile because he snuck into her room last night and held her until she fell asleep ["I don't want to go back asleep. What if I do and I wake up and another month has gone by?]), "Eady? We have someone here to see you?"

Eadlyn was sitting in her chair by the fireplace, reading a book, but when she looked up the story was the last thing on her mind, "Oh my gosh! Who is this?"

"This is Cloe. She's a trained service dog. She can smell a heart attack days before it happens as well as keep one from happening. Eady, with her you don't have to worry about hurting anyone."

Eadlyn smiled at him, "You did this for me?"

"I would do anything for you," he stated simply, because it was true, so what's the point in hiding it?

Eadlyn's smile grew bigger, "Can I see her?"

They spent the rest of the day on the floor of Eady's room, playing with the new addition to the family.

"So, how'd it go with the dog?" Queen America asked.

"Cloe has already taken my place on the bed."

Queen America laughed, "Did you tell her about the plan?"

"No. That's her father's department. He asked me to sit in when he tells her, but…it's his job to break the news."

It had taken a while for Eadlyn to be able to tear apart from Kaden (now back to being a kid) and Osten, or more like tear Cloe apart from the boys. Everyone had taken to the dog very fast and Cloe had handled it with the diplomatic grace that her owner had, but it was clear by the way she followed Eadlyn around who her favorite was. And the feeling was mutual ("Her kisses are better than yours," Eadlyn had told him. "Is it how much tongue she uses?" Eadlyn had stopped walking, "…That's just nasty, Kile." [He had to kiss her to get her to walk again.{Not that he minded.}]).

We walked quietly towards her father's office and the guards had to stop them.

"Look at the cute puppy, Bill!" one had said, bending down to pet the pup (who had already turned onto her back so he could pet her stomach). It was comical to see the guard with the gun, baby talking the young blonde lab.

The other smiled at Kile as the other guard asked Eadlyn what the dog's name was. Kile recognized him as the guard who had let him into the palace at Queen America's command, the one that had told him seeing Kile and Eady together was the favorite part of his day.

The guard simply smiled at him and looked down at Eadlyn and Cloe, "Now, you all look like a family."

"Today?" Eadlyn asked.

"Today," King Maxon said, looking very guilty.

"I mean…Are you ready for that, Dad?"

Her question surprised everyone in the room (although it was just the family, Kile and Cloe ["Why are you the only Selected allowed in here?" Osten had asked. Kaden whispered to his brother, "Because he's already won." The boys erupted into giggles, only to be glared at by their mother.]). No one had expected Eadlyn to be concerned about her father at this moment.

"M-Me?" King Maxon asked, thrown through a loop.

"There's so much you've wanted to do, and you won't get to do it," Eadlyn explained, "Are you going to be okay with just giving all that up?"

"To you? Someone I know that will take care of it for me? I'd be happy to."

Eadlyn nooded at him and King Maxon came around his desk and grasped her forearms in his hands, "Eady, this job…you know that it's not easy. Sometimes it's not even rewarding. Are you sure that you're ready for this? Truthfully, I'm not even sure you want this anymore. Is this what you want?"

"If it's not me, then who would it be? Do you want Kaden to be king today? No. I'll do it. I'll do it today."

Her voice was resolute, as if she was sealing her doom, as if she was convicting herself, but she was strong and beautiful and Kile couldn't love her more.

"By the end of today, I'll be Queen."


	14. Chapter 14

Where the Storm Lulls Ch. 14

"You don't have to do this, Eady." Kile whispered into Eadlyn's ear as they leaned against the wall, Cloe at their feet.

"I do," she said, carding her fingers through his hair, "If I don't then Kaden has to or the politicians will take over…Kaden would make a great king. _If_ he was trained early enough. And he hasn't. Kaden was never trained to be king and…No. I need to do this."

Kile nodded, "I'll be by your side every step of the way."

She nodded, digging her head into his shoulder, "I know that now, "she whispered.

"You good?" Queen America said, straightening Eadlyn's dress.

"Yeah. I might throw up but…"

"You'll do fine," her mother comforted.

Eadlyn just nodded as Kile came up to her, Cloe in his arms. She smiled, a real smile, when he stood in front of her. "I guess I can't call you a spoiled princess now, can I?"

"No. I guess you can't," Eadlyn replied.

He grabbed her hand, "You're okay. You may not think you are, but you are. You're going to be a great queen."

Eadlyn just nodded (and, you know, what else was she supposed to do?) and took her place behind the double doors, where the people were gathered to watch the coronation.

It flew by for Kile, just a split second and Eadlyn had gone from an eighteen year old girl to a queen with the world on her shoulders.

As she turned around, facing the audience and King Maxon (Ex King Maxon) pronounced her the queen of Illea, Kile knew that Eadlyn was confronting the many politicians in the room, scowling at her and their missed opportunity of rule.

It was about one in the morning when the guests had finally left the castle, and Eadlyn's family was gathered around a small table. The minute the last guest had left, Eadlyn had swept off her crown and taken a long swig of vodka, eyes watering from the sting of it. She sat down next to Kile, her legs in his lap with Cloe laying down below her.

"So, I guess the next thing they'll be expecting is a wedding," Aunt May said and Eadlyn took another swig.

"Can we wait, like, a week before we start planning another _huge_ change in my life?" she asked.

Aunt May looked at her, and then Kile, "Well, I don't think it will be a huge change for you, Eadlyn. Then, you wouldn't have to sneak Kile into your room late at night."

"May!" Queen, no, Lady America (she had rejected any other title) scolded her little sister.

"What?! It's true!" she turned back to her niece, "Could you think of marrying someone else, Eadlyn?"

"I've tried to stop myself from thinking of marrying anyone." Eadlyn replied, looking at her empty glass.

"No," Kile said simply, grabbing the glass out of her hand and putting it and the liquor away from her.

But, Aunt May remained adamant, "Yes, dear. But you have to. It's in the job description."

When Kile walked Eadlyn to her room, he didn't expect her to let him in. She wasn't drunk, not by a long shot ("Nothing like talking about a wedding after your coronation to make you sober," she had said.) so he didn't feel bad about coming in, but he was surprised none the less. Eadlyn had just been called out for having him sneak into her room, yet, here she was, allowing him in yet again.

He tried to speak, but she put a finger to his lips, "Talk later. I need you."

"Eadlyn. You may still be drunk."

She laughed, kissing him lightly before showing him her hands as she touched each of her fingers to her thumbs.

"Are you really showing me that you can pass a drunk test?" he laughed.

She joined him, "Yep. Now, your queen commands you to get in bed."

"Eady," Kile groaned, trying to stay in control.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, "I love it when you talk dirty."

Kile picked her up, her legs immediately hooking onto his hips and planted her solidly onto the bed, "Honestly, what is it with your nickname fetish?"

Eadlyn kissed him in reply, a deep, searing kiss that went down to Kile's bones, "I love you."

He smiled down at her, "I love you, too."

Kile knew Eady liked this part just as much as the rest of the night, the silent calm and rest that came with being this close with someone you love. She didn't say it, but Kile knew it (maybe it was the way she sighed when he ran his hand up and down her arm or the way she snuggled closer every five minutes, as if she could crawl into his skin and lay herself on his heart).

Eadlyn had been quiet for a long time, relishing in the act that continuously brought them closer, before she shifted to look up at him, "When it's time, will you marry me?"

Kile smiled at her, a little shocked by her question, but, of course, answering straight away, "Nothing would make me happier."

The End.


End file.
